10 reasons to choose Ruby on Rails for web development

Rails is one of the most popular web development tools on the market today. It has a loyal following among programmers and a dedicated online community as well. If you ask most IT professionals what you should you use to develop your application, chances are the answer will be ROR.

Why use Ruby on Rails as opposed to other programming languages and platforms? Here are 10 of the most common reasons that keep developers coming back to Rails for all their development projects.

1. Ruby on Rails is built upon best development practices

Rails is not big on writing lots of code. It’s about writing less code that does more. One of the advantages of Ruby on Rails over other languages is that it stresses the importance of Representational State Transfer (REST), which is all about using standardized HTTP verbs rather than creating new ones. REST is popular with programmers thanks to its ease of use and because it’s just the best way to design web applications.

Ruby on Rails also utilizes the “Don’t Repeat Yourself” or “DRY” principle, which helps to reduce the repetition of software patterns. This results in cleaner code with fewer bugs. Some other RoRs principles include CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete), KISAP (keep it simple as possible), and COC (convention over configuration).

2. Ruby on Rails can reduce your overall development time

Developers love Ruby on Rails because it simplifies common tasks when creating websites and applications. ROR is basically a collection of handy shortcuts that speed up the process of developing with the Ruby language.

Because Ruby on Rails is so simple and easy to use, it really does reduce the amount of time it takes for a developer to create a solution using the language. Issues that would normally take a while to resolve are easily handled through Ruby’s stack overflow and a number of other gems.

3. Ruby on Rails powers some of the world’s biggest websites

If the proof is in the pudding, just take a look at some of the companies who built their sites on ROR: Github, Basecamp, Shopify, Groupon, Crunchbase, Airbnb, and more.

Even Twitter started out on Ruby on Rails. The company ended up switching over to a Java server in 2011. One of the biggest Ruby on Rails advantages over Java is that Ruby code can be interpreted without the need for compilation while Java has to be compiled first.

4. There is an abundance of Ruby “Gems” you can use

One of the things that developers love most about Ruby on Rails is the enormous library of “gems” available. A gem is simply reusable code that is available within a highly-organized hierarchy of files on the Ruby server. This saves developers tons of time by not having to start from scratch when writing certain types of code.

Thanks to the open-source nature of Ruby on Rails developers are able to help each other out by sharing their short-cuts and programming tips and tricks. This is one of the reasons the Ruby community is so strong and why its fans are so loyal.

5. Ruby on Rails enhances productivity

Rails helps developers write code faster and cleaner. Because the code is easy to read and the framework is self-documenting, Rails enhances overall team productivity.

Startups choose to work with Rails because it helps them get their product to market faster since it cuts down on development time.

6. Developing with Ruby on Rails will give you access to the best programmers

Because Rails is so popular in the development community, you open your project up to the largest talent pool of programmers. It’s much easier to find a highly qualified ROR developer than most other languages.

7. Rails is based on Agile development principles

Ruby on Rails utilizes the Agile software development method based on dividing a project into short spurts of work or “sprints.” By focusing on one component at a time and testing and fine-tuning before moving onto the next phase, Agile development delivers a better application with fewer bugs and errors.

8. Ruby on Rails offers automated testing tools

Ruby on Rails solutions are really easy to test. By the default, there is the unit_test library but other libraries like minitest or rspec are also easy to use.

Autotests are also simple to create and run. Capybara allows you to write autotests that simulate user behavior. All of these automation testing tools let you test code throughout the development phase, saving lots of time and costs for the overall project.

9. Rails has a large online community that acts as a unified “help desk”

Given the fact that Ruby on Rails is one of the most popular open-source programming platforms used by programmers today, it has a very large and active online community. This comes in handy if you have a development question.

With other programming languages, you might have to call a helpline when you run into trouble. This will undoubtedly result in long hold and wait times, which can delay your development timeline.

Through the multitudes of Ruby on Rails dedicated websites, chat rooms and forums, you have access to instant answers from people who have already experienced your problem and solved it.

10. It’s free

In addition to all of the benefits listed above, one of the best things about Ruby on Rails is that it’s free to use. This may be why so many startups build their solutions on the platform.

Software licensing costs can be quite expensive, depending on the type of project you’re developing and how many licenses you need. Being able to use a popular solution that works as well as Ruby on Rails does for free is a great way for startups to save money.

In summary, there are many Ruby on Rails advantages , which is why so many developers continue to sing its praises. If you’re looking for the right programming language for your web application, Rails should certainly be at the top of your list for consideration.